Bluebird Blend – New Release

A bit more about the artist & labelArtist: Andrea Dingeldein
“As a science illustrator, I create artwork that supports the efforts of researchers, parks, museums, and sustainably-minded companies that are doing their part to protect local ecosystems. Art that is created to communicate science or highlight the natural world can inspire and educate the public in ways that words alone cannot. When Cima Collina approached me about creating a label to showcase the Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana), I was thrilled! I often see them in the scrubby oak habitats around the central coast and I am drawn to their striking coloration. I wanted to create an image that paid homage to some of the classic bird & botanical plates of John James Audubon and Mark Catesby, so I included a branch of coastal live oak (Quercus agrifolia). I walked around my neighborhood, studying the details and texture of oak leaves, and their alternating arrangement along a branch. I also compiled reference photos of bluebirds and used elements of each produce the posture I wanted for the main subject: perched and alert on an oak branch. The final piece was completed in watercolor and gouache (opaque watercolor), with a touch of colored pencil for details and to crisp up edges. It was a pleasure to work together with Cima Collina to showcase an important inhabitant of our local ecosystem on the front of a delicious bottle of wine!”